There are a plethora of options available in the market today, and each of these tablets have something unique to offer, so making a decision now is harder than ever. However, you must know that the undisputed king of the market is still Apple, especially since it released the iPad 2 a few months ago. All the other tablets are still playing catch up, and this is a segment that looks to be dominated by Apple for a long time to come.
For people who dislike Apple for some reason, there are several Android based tablets to choose from. As is the custom with Android, you will get a stock Android OS which will be embedded inside a user interface (UI) that will be specially designed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the device itself. As a result you will find that no two Android tablets are the same, and this is further emphasized by the fact that the possibilities of customizing an Android tablet are truly endless.
People who have no special inclination for Apple or Android can consider some other alternatives as well. The most popular amongst these is the BlackBerry PlayBook made by RIM (Research in Motion), and some other cheaper alternatives can also be found by HP, Notion Ink, Acer and some other brands as well.
How to Buy the Best Tablet
It is necessary to keep all of these in mind because there are so many choices available in the market, and also because tablets cost a fair amount of money. All this makes it absolutely essential to pick the right tablet that is best suited for you so that you do not feel like you have wasted your hard-earned money on something that is just not useful for you.
The Operating System
The very first thing that you need to decide is which OS you wish to use. Apple provides iOS, Google provides Android Honeycomb (3.0), RIM provides QNX and HP provides WebOS. Each of these have their pros and cons and you must study them carefully before making your purchase.
Android provides far more options as far as brands and manufacturers are concerned, so if you are certain that you are opting for Android, then you must pick a brand as well. The Samsung Galaxy Tab or the Motorola Xoom are good options in this regard. You should also consider the number of applications and games that will be available, and with this in mind, it is easy to say that the iPad is the best choice possible. Picking the right OS is the most important thing while buying a tablet.
The Screen Size
The next thing that you need to do is pick the screen size that suits you. The iPad is 9.7" diagonally, and this is perhaps the most appropriate size for a tablet. Any size that is smaller than this will resemble the size of your smartphone so it will be pointless, and anything larger will resemble your laptop so it will not offer enhanced portability.
There are 7" tablets that are available in the market, but in our opinion, the 9.7" of the iPad is just the size a tablet should be. Also study the screen resolution and sharpness, though this should not influence your decision too heavily.
The Battery Life
Tablets are known for their fairly long battery lives, and this is what makes them so portable in the long run. A single charge allows these devices to run as much as 7-10 hours, and this is an excellent advantage that they have over other mobile computing devices. Almost all tablets have similar battery lives, but it will not hurt to go over it once when you are making the purchase, as it is one of the most important things to consider.
The Processor
All tablets are adequately equipped to handle multiple programs and hence have very strong processors. Single core 1 GHz processors are the norm, and many manufacturers are now slowly adopting dual core processors as well. With higher clock speeds, this will make tablets very responsive and smooth. Their increasing amounts of RAM will also help make this transition smoother. Always check the processor speed and other specifications of a tablet before you buy.
The Connectivity
Lastly, a tablet is useless without Internet connectivity so you need to make a decision about this as well. If you have regular access to Wi-Fi hotspots around you, then buying a Wi-Fi only tablet is the right option. If not, then you should seriously consider getting a 3G enabled + Wi-Fi enabled tablet so that you can access the web and use your web based applications on a regular basis.
You will need to pick a data carrier and data plan that suits you as well, and this is something that should not be taken lightly.
Once you are aware of all the things when you're out buying a tablet, you will be able to pick the best one for yourself. After studying all these tablet buying tips we can still tell you that the top choice amongst tablets today is the Apple iPad 2 and you cannot go wrong with this one.
For people who dislike Apple for some reason, there are several Android based tablets to choose from. As is the custom with Android, you will get a stock Android OS which will be embedded inside a user interface (UI) that will be specially designed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the device itself. As a result you will find that no two Android tablets are the same, and this is further emphasized by the fact that the possibilities of customizing an Android tablet are truly endless.
People who have no special inclination for Apple or Android can consider some other alternatives as well. The most popular amongst these is the BlackBerry PlayBook made by RIM (Research in Motion), and some other cheaper alternatives can also be found by HP, Notion Ink, Acer and some other brands as well.
How to Buy the Best Tablet
It is necessary to keep all of these in mind because there are so many choices available in the market, and also because tablets cost a fair amount of money. All this makes it absolutely essential to pick the right tablet that is best suited for you so that you do not feel like you have wasted your hard-earned money on something that is just not useful for you.
The Operating System
The very first thing that you need to decide is which OS you wish to use. Apple provides iOS, Google provides Android Honeycomb (3.0), RIM provides QNX and HP provides WebOS. Each of these have their pros and cons and you must study them carefully before making your purchase.
Android provides far more options as far as brands and manufacturers are concerned, so if you are certain that you are opting for Android, then you must pick a brand as well. The Samsung Galaxy Tab or the Motorola Xoom are good options in this regard. You should also consider the number of applications and games that will be available, and with this in mind, it is easy to say that the iPad is the best choice possible. Picking the right OS is the most important thing while buying a tablet.
The Screen Size
The next thing that you need to do is pick the screen size that suits you. The iPad is 9.7" diagonally, and this is perhaps the most appropriate size for a tablet. Any size that is smaller than this will resemble the size of your smartphone so it will be pointless, and anything larger will resemble your laptop so it will not offer enhanced portability.
There are 7" tablets that are available in the market, but in our opinion, the 9.7" of the iPad is just the size a tablet should be. Also study the screen resolution and sharpness, though this should not influence your decision too heavily.
The Battery Life
Tablets are known for their fairly long battery lives, and this is what makes them so portable in the long run. A single charge allows these devices to run as much as 7-10 hours, and this is an excellent advantage that they have over other mobile computing devices. Almost all tablets have similar battery lives, but it will not hurt to go over it once when you are making the purchase, as it is one of the most important things to consider.
The Processor
All tablets are adequately equipped to handle multiple programs and hence have very strong processors. Single core 1 GHz processors are the norm, and many manufacturers are now slowly adopting dual core processors as well. With higher clock speeds, this will make tablets very responsive and smooth. Their increasing amounts of RAM will also help make this transition smoother. Always check the processor speed and other specifications of a tablet before you buy.
The Connectivity
Lastly, a tablet is useless without Internet connectivity so you need to make a decision about this as well. If you have regular access to Wi-Fi hotspots around you, then buying a Wi-Fi only tablet is the right option. If not, then you should seriously consider getting a 3G enabled + Wi-Fi enabled tablet so that you can access the web and use your web based applications on a regular basis.
You will need to pick a data carrier and data plan that suits you as well, and this is something that should not be taken lightly.
Once you are aware of all the things when you're out buying a tablet, you will be able to pick the best one for yourself. After studying all these tablet buying tips we can still tell you that the top choice amongst tablets today is the Apple iPad 2 and you cannot go wrong with this one.
